Secrets on Roxbury Drive
by writeturnlove
Summary: Damon Salvatore decides he's going to take a chance on love, with his best friend Bonnie Bennett. Should they risk their friendship for something more, and will a dangerous decision give them the promise of forever, or kill them both?


**Secrets on Roxbury Drive**

By V.C. Turner

 **Chapter 1 – _Sunday_**

White curtains billowed in the fading breeze of the evening as the final guests left the wedding reception. Stefan and Caroline were on their way to an island in the Atlantic Ocean to begin their one-week honeymoon, leaving Damon and Bonnie behind to organize the cleanup of the reception hall.

Damon watched as Bonnie walked gracefully around the room, removing the centerpieces from the tables and blowing out the candles. She could have used magic to complete most of the tasks; after all, no one else was around to witness her gifts, but she was nothing if not a hard worker.

The champagne colored dress hugged curves he wasn't supposed to notice. But Damon noticed. He noticed everything about her, especially on this night. He noticed how two long tendrils of hair made their way out of her upswept coiffure and dangled onto her caramel shoulders. He noticed the way her perfect lips puckered with determination as she moved from table to table. He noticed her green eyes twinkle in the light just before she blew out each candle.

After several minutes in silent admiration of his best friend, Damon decided that staring wasn't enough. Waiting wasn't enough. Just being friends – was it enough? His eyes traced a path from her beautiful face, down her shoulders, to her cleavage. The long silver necklace that dangled around her neck taunted him. It held a small vial of blood within it; a promise of forever to a man not worthy of her eternal love. That man's death had severed that tie, yet still she wore the necklace: as either a remembrance or a warning. Damon didn't know which, so he rose from his seat and approached her with caution.

"Bonnie, we actually hired people to do that," Damon told her as he pulled a bouquet of flowers from her grasp, "They should be here in a few minutes.

Bonnie gave him a shy smile before answering.

"I know. I just want to keep busy," she said quietly, continuing her task.

"Busy?" he asked.

"I have a lot on my mind. Of course I always have something on my mind," she confessed.

Damon nodded. He didn't want to ask the destination of her thoughts. He knew they drifted toward the late Enzo St. John and he understood her devotion to the man, even though Damon envied it in both life and death. He had no one to blame but himself. He was the one who left Bonnie for selfish reasons and lost her to a man he'd once called friend. Why had she chosen Enzo? Did the choice speak to something other than the British vampire's charm? Damon needed to know, but he refused to ask the question. Now was not the time to dwell on a history that could not be rewritten.

He needed to focus on what lay ahead, and right and at that moment, a beautiful woman stood before him needing comfort. His role as best friend should take precedence over … other considerations.

"Bon, we can talk about it if you want," Damon offered.

"I know," Bonnie said, "I appreciate that and I love you for it."

The only part Damon heard was "I love you." He knew her meaning. It would have to be enough – for now.

He followed her around the room, helping her remove the linen tablecloths and other items. They worked in silence until the tables were bare and the chairs were stacked against the far wall. He offered her a smile or two, and she smiled back in kind.

Damon walked behind the open bar and pulled out a bottle of champagne and two long stemmed glasses.

"You sure you don't want to get it off your chest?" he asked, staring at her necklace and placing the bottle and glasses on a table nearby.

Bonnie stopped her duties for a moment and answered his question.

"I just keep losing everyone that loves me," she pointed out, placing the final centerpiece in a box and putting the lid on top.

Bonnie faced away from him, so she had no idea the pain displayed on Damon's face when she used the word "everyone." She hadn't lost everyone that loved her. She deserved to know that. She needed to know that.

Damon gathered his strength and placed his hands on her shoulders to turn her around. He had to tell her. It was selfish, but necessary.

"You haven't lost everyone," he said, using his thumb to wipe away a tear that had begun to fall.

"I know. You're right. I know that you guys care about me-" she started, her soft voice wavering.

He lifted her chin so she could look in his eyes.

"Love you," Damon interrupted.

Bonnie still didn't seem to get the message. He wanted to blurt it out, but this wasn't an ordinary confession for an ordinary woman. This was Bonnie. Scaring her off was not an option. She was his best friend. He couldn't lose her again.

She looked up at him, not knowing how he really felt. Kindness showed in her green eyes, glimmering beneath unshed tears.

"I know that, Damon," she whispered, "I just feel so alone, that's all. I'm tired of feeling alone."

Damon pulled her into a hug and rocked her back and forth. His embrace turned into a slow, swaying movement. He could feel a soft chuckle escape from her chest.

"Is this your way of asking me to dance without actually asking me to dance?" she said, looking up at him with a smile.

"Well, I don't really like taking 'No' for an answer, so," Damon said as he pulled back to grab her hand and spin her across the dance floor.

Bonnie laughed out loud and the sound rung in his hears like the sweetest form of music he'd ever heard. He continued to twirl her around the room even just to hear her laughter fill the air with the hopeful sound.

"We need music, Damon," Bonnie said, her spirit appearing to lift. With a wave of her hand, music began to play from the sound system in the corner of the room. Damon didn't know the name of the romantic song playing, but he didn't care. His thoughts were focused on finding a way to let her know that their relationship could evolve, if that was what she wanted.

As he held her, he felt her necklace press against his chest. He tamped down the rage as best he could, but everything in him wanted to rip the jewelry from her neck and toss it away. If she carried anyone's blood around her neck, it should be his.

Not that Damon would ever turn Bonnie, but he had no problem being her insurance policy against harm or death. He still carried the guilt from turning her mother into a vampire to save Elena's life. After such a crime, Damon knew he'd never detach her from magic, but he also couldn't stand to lose her.

"What's wrong?" Bonnie asked him with an arched eyebrow.

Damon shook himself from his thoughts.

"Nothing," he lied, hoping she wouldn't press further, but she always did.

"Damon, don't lie to me. Something is on your mind. You keep looking down at my necklace," she pointed out.

He took in a deep breath before answering.

"I was just wondering why you still wear it," he stated.

Bonnie appeared to think about his inquiry longer than he'd expected. It seemed as if she didn't know the answer or didn't know how he would take the answer.

"I guess it's a way of keeping him close to me," she pointed out, looking down at the necklace and back up into his eyes.

Damon nodded, continuing to sway with her across the floor.

"I see," he said flatly.

She stepped out of his arms and his heart dropped. The tone of his voice probably told her all she needed to know about how he felt about her amulet. He frowned at her distance from him, but preferred to avoid the conversation if he could. She wasn't ready to hear everything; not yet.

"Why does that bother you?" Bonnie asked, "If I didn't know you better, I'd think you were jealous."

Damon stopped moving as her statement hit him with the force of truth. He brought his hands to his face, rubbing his temples and trying to decide if this _would_ be the right moment.

"I know it reminds you of him," Damon finally said, "But all I can think about is how he wanted to change you; turn you into a vampire so you could spend forever with him. It just seemed selfish."

"Selfish?" Bonnie retorted, seeming angry, "Well, I suppose if anyone knows the meaning of selfish."

Her statement hurt him, cut him deeper than any stake ever could should it penetrate his undead heart.

"I wouldn't be selfish with you," he said, his tone laced with sorrow that appeared to affect Bonnie more than she expected.

Silence hung in the air between them. Bonnie took a step forward, placing her hand on his forearm.

"Damon- " she began, but he interrupted her.

"I'd never want this life for you; the craving, the hunger… living on blood bags or worse yet, trying to find some poor soul to suck the life from just so you could survive. I would never separate you from magic. You deserve better than that," he told her, reaching up to stroke her cheek.

Damon's hand fell to the necklace that carried Enzo's blood. He pulled back, fearing he'd tear it from its resting place and throw it into the trash. He'd rather die than hurt her physically or emotionally.

Bonnie clasped the amulet in her hands and looked between it and Damon's eyes.

"Is living forever so bad?" she asked.

"It's not always 'forever'," Damon answered, "Is forever even worth it if you can't be with your soul mate."

"Damon, when I'm gone you'll see El- " she started to say before Damon interrupted again.

"Bon, don't say that," he said, the thought of Bonnie dying taking away most of his breath, "I couldn't take that."

"It's going to happen eventually," Bonnie continued, "I'm not scared of it anymore. I've done it more than once."

A rueful expression crossed her beautiful face. She barely hid her heartbreak and acceptance of the fact that her life didn't seem to matter as much as everyone else's. Solitude remained her constant companion.

Damon backed away from her. The discussion had taken the darkest of turns and he needed to make it right. He was her friend. He can't have her focusing on death, much less welcoming it. Yes, he wanted her to live life happily and fearlessly, but he also wanted her to have the longest life possible. Witches could extend their lifespan and slow their aging, but Bonnie deserved eternal life without the burden of being a vampire.

Somehow he'd find a way to give her that.

"I meant it when I said I'd lose my mind if you died. I would," Damon assured her.

Her perfectly shaped lips curled up on each side, lighting up her entire face. She closed the space between then and touched his face with the palm of her hand.

Damon allowed his eyes to close for a brief moment, then opened them again as he met her gaze. As he began to speak, the cleanup crew arrived, severing the intimate moment between them. Bonnie slowly removed her hand from Damon's cheek, and pulled up the bottom of her dress.

"I guess that's our cue to get out of here," she said.

Damon did a dramatic bow, motioning toward the parking lot adjacent to the reception hall. Bonnie walked next to him, taking slow lazy steps toward their separate vehicles. As they reached her Toyota, Bonnie paused before removing the keys from her clutch purse. She turned to Damon, her look of sadness reappearing.

"I don't, um…I don't really want to go home, Damon. Do you?" she asked.

Damon raised an eyebrow, wondering if he'd heard her correctly. Fully aware that she didn't want to return to her empty house, there appeared to be something else she was avoiding. He'd ask her what that was later on in the evening.

"Come on, then," he said, gently grabbing her left hand and leading her to his Camaro. He opened the passenger door and carefully tucked her into the seat before closing it. He made his way to the driver's side, not really knowing where he would take her and genuinely not caring.

As he turned onto the main road, he drove away from Mystic Falls, leaving behind all the pain and obligation that town held for both of them. He looked over at his companion who furrowed her brow upon recognizing that they weren't returning to the Salvatore mansion.

"Where exactly are we going?" Bonnie asked.

"Anywhere but home," Damon offered.

Apparently satisfied with that answer, Bonnie nodded then leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. Damon noted how the light from the moon illuminated her face, casting a blue glow on her brown skin. The vampire fought back the urge to use the back of his hand to stroke her cheek. Getting them there safely was more important once he decided where he was taking them – a small bed and breakfast that he'd noticed a few months ago while on a late night drive to clear his cluttered head.

They drove for an hour until they reached a small country road called Roxbury Drive. A few miles down on the right-hand side sat a large white two-story building with light blue shutters and majestic columns out front. The sign above the door read "Roxbury Bed and Breakfast." Bonnie looked at Damon, but he didn't offer an explanation despite the quizzical expression on her face.

Damon exited the car to open Bonnie's door and then led her inside. She didn't protest, in fact, her curiosity was piqued at their new little adventure.

"We're here because?" she asked.

"I'm tired. You're tired," he offered.

Damon slipped his hand into hers and led her up the porch and through the unlocked door of the little country inn.

The receptionist, a young woman of no older than 16, bounced to the counter and took her place behind a desktop computer. She sported an oval name tag that read "Molly." She barely looked at them as she pounded a few commands on the keyboard, but when she did gaze up at the well-dressed pair, she smiled.

"Oh, wow. Are you guys on your honeymoon?" she asked, biting her lip in anticipation of a juicy answer.

Bonnie blushed.

Damon spoke up.

"Yeah, we eloped," he offered, placing an arm around a slightly confused Bonnie. Damon hoped she'd get into the spirit of things and play along. He could feel her muscles tense with nervousness, but they quickly relaxed into his touch.

"Oh, that's so sweet," the girl chirped, "Congratulations. How long have you guys been together?"  
Bonnie smiled, giving a coy wink to Damon before responding.

"Eight years," she answered.

"She actually hated me in the beginning," Damon added, giving Bonnie a peck on her right temple.

"But, after a while, he really grew on me and then we became best friends," Bonnie said as she smiled up at him. Damon wasn't sure why she was playing along, but he really didn't care at the moment.

"Now I," he began, brushing the hair from her face and placing a kiss on her ear, "I just don't want to spend another day without her."

Bonnie's eyes began to well up with tears, which Damon wiped away with the pad of his right thumb.

The young girl beamed with excitement and the story she was being told.

Damon provided their names and asked for the largest suite at the inn since money was no object. The young girl stated that the Honeymoon Suite was located on the second floor. With wide eyes, she took the wad of cash Damon handed her.

"Wow, this will pay for a whole week and then some," she stated.

"Good, because that's how long we're staying," Damon responded, "What do you say, Mrs. Salvatore?"

Bonnie blushed. She covered her eyes for a brief moment.

"I'd say you're full of surprises," she quipped, giving him a solid smack on the behind.

Damon gave her a wink even though the smack stung a bit. He pulled her closer to him.

"I see someone's eager to get upstairs," he teased, smirking at her.

After grabbing the room key, Molly led the "newlyweds" upstairs to the honeymoon suite. Damon held Bonnie's hand as they walked up the staircase to the second floor. They were escorted down a long hallway at the end of which was their suite. Molly unlocked the door and told them to ring the front desk if they needed anything.

Bonnie gasped at the luxury suite, which sported a king sized bed, a fireplace, and a large Jacuzzi, which sat in front of a large picture window. The room was adorned with fresh flowers and the fireplace was burning. Before she could step through the door, Damon scooped her up and carried her over the threshold.

He pulled her close and whispered in her ear.

"Gotta keep up appearances, you see," he said, motioning to a spying Molly, who sprinted downstairs after she saw the intimate moment between the apparent lovebirds.

After he walked her inside, Damon placed her carefully on the bed. Bonnie giggled running her hands along the ivory bedspread and marveling at the soft fabric.

"Such a beautiful, comfy bed. I wonder where you're sleeping," she teased.

Damon didn't miss a beat.

"Why with my gorgeous wife, of course," he pointed out, removing his jacket and tossing it on a chair that sat next to the dresser.

Bonnie bit her lip and looked around the room.

"Are we really staying here for a week?" she asked.

"If Stefan and Caroline can have a honeymoon, why can't we?" Damon asserted, not expecting an answer.

Bonnie kicked off her shoes and scooted off the bed to stand at the window near the Jacuzzi.

"It's so beautiful up here," Bonnie said, looking out the window at the stars in the sky.

Damon walked over to her, feeling the moment would pass if he didn't act quickly.

He stepped behind her, placing his hands on her waist. He felt her shudder a little, but she didn't pull away from him.

"Turn around," he said, his lips brushing against the back of her neck.

Damon felt Bonnie's breath catch in her chest; he didn't need his vampire senses to tell him how nervous she felt. She hesitated for several seconds, finally turning around to look up into his eyes…waiting.

But Damon was done waiting. His hand found its way to the nape of her neck and he gently pulled her close brushing his nose briefly against hers before connecting their lips. The kiss was soft, almost too gentle for the both of them, but he'd wanted this for too long to be shy about it. She kissed him back. A soft moan escaped Bonnie's throat and Damon felt her small hand clutch the fabric of his shirt as he deepened the kiss.

He reluctantly pulled away.

"I've waited years to do that," he admitted, his face still just millimeters from hers. He could feel her ragged breath brushing against his neck. Every part of him came alive, but he pushed desire aside so he could enjoy the sweet moment with her; however brief it might be.

"Damon," Bonnie whispered, "Why?"

"Because my soul mate isn't sleeping in a coffin. My soul mate is my best friend," he insisted, lifting her chin so he could look her in the eyes, "You, Bonnie Bennett, are my best friend."

Bonnie stepped back from him, both confusion and hope swirling in her emerald eyes. She turned to face the window and stare into the night again.

"I … I always thought _she_ was. _She_ was the one you kept chasing. _She_ was the one you ran to…the woman you fought for," Bonnie said, her voice wavering.

He walked toward her, wrapping his arms around her waist and whispering into her ear.

"That was until I realized that the person you should be with is someone that can also be your partner; someone to fight by your side and make you feel like who you are – that's enough for them, and you don't have to change to deserve their love," Damon told her.

Bonnie's eyes swelled with tears.

"Damon…I'd be lying if I said this didn't scare me. It does. I want it. I guess I didn't realize until now how much I wanted it, but it still scares me that we might mess this up," she admitted.

He turned her around, placing his forehead against hers.

"Just give me one week. One week to prove to you that this can work. One week of just you and me," Damon said, "One week to let the past be the past and stay there."

He reached into his the right pocket of his trousers and pulled out Elena's necklace. He walked toward the dresser and opened the top drawer, placing the silver piece of jewelry inside. He then looked at the chain around Bonnie's neck. Bonnie's gaze followed his and she ran her tiny fingers along the necklace holding Enzo's blood.

She bit her lip and walked toward Damon, the swish of her dress seemed to emit the only sound in the room as the fabric rustled when she moved. She reached around the back of her neck and unclasped it, gently placing it next to Elena's necklace. Damon then closed the drawer.

"Sometimes the things that tie us to the past are really anchors keeping us from moving on with our lives," said Bonnie.

"Then let it go," Damon said, pulling her back into his arms.

"One week?" she asked.

"It's a start," he said, placing a kiss on her cheek, "After all, if you have to get out of bed to talk to your best friend, then you married the wrong person."

Bonnie relaxed, looking up at him with a mischievous smile.

"You know, Mr. Salvatore," she noted, "Except for what we've got on, we don't have any other clothes."

Damon smirked as he swept her up and carried her to the bed.

"Well, Mrs. Salvatore, it _is_ our honeymoon … so we won't need any."


End file.
